Trapped Back for Red Oak?

[Ippus]

So, a while back on here, a gentleman advised that trapping the back was a good way to reduce set in red oak, as opposed to widening the limbs.

Now, the project in question had wide limbs for other reasons, the back ended up slightly trapped anyway just because of how I did the sanding, and it still ended up taking about 1.5” of set (not terrible for a lightweight bow at 71”).

I’m now on approach to another board project, slightly denser piece, a little lighter in color, but also red oak. Probably going to need narrower limbs because of the shape of the board and the way the grain runs.

My question is, what do experienced bowyers think about this?

1. Is it typically beneficial for red oak to trap the back? 
1a. Specifically with regard to board bows (i.e., does that make any difference vs staves)?

1b. Does it have debatable benefit for avoiding set, but have instead some other benefit?

1c. My understanding was that avoiding set was more a function of careful, even tillering (not overstressing with an uneven tiller – which I’m afraid I rather did first time out)… yes?

2. Is there a good rule of thumb/resource/table you can recommend for which woods benefit from trapping, e.g., woods that are very strong in tension but less so in compression, like hickory?

[bubby]

I posted a red oak board bow not too long ago, very little set. My guess is you can be correct saying both, that trapping will help with set, as it would help with not overpowering the belly, and that propper tillering is the best way to reduce set. The fact is everyone gets set, reflexed bows posted flat have lost the reflex through set. Some boards are more prone to set than others with the better boards being denser in my experiance

[Springbuck]

All of the above.

First, realize almost all bows take some set.  Red oak takes more than many, all else equal, and that somered oak out there is vastly inferior to the best red oak out there.  I've had some boards that were absolutely fluffy, and some that had HEAVY growth rings half an inch thick.